CONNECTING WITH THE BODY
Most people who are involved in specialized ministry also are associated with a congregation. Sometimes their family is a part of that congregation or they attend worship and are a part of the community of faith. This is their primary connection with the corporate expression of the Body of Christ. Yet often their ministry is not recognized or celebrated in the same way that those experience who are installed to pastoral ministries.
Working with the administrative staff of the presbytery, a task force of the COM should form a list of these extra-congregational ministers, their ordination dates, and the type of ministry in which they are engaged and the congregation with which s/he is associated. As a witness to the One Body of Christ, it is important to contact not only Presbyterian congregations but other congregations with which they may be associated.
SHARING WITH THE CONGREGATION
Inform the congregation of the ordained clergy that are worshiping with them. Suggest one of three actions that the congregation may want to consider. First, if there has not been a service of commissioning for that individual, that could be a special way both to celebrate their ministry and raise the awareness of the congregation to this larger view of ministry. A second possibility would be some recognition within the context of worship of the anniversary of their particular ordination. Third, especially if they can identify more than one ordained pastor – including retired pastors, the congregation may want to invite them to share in leading a seminar about the way the call of God is exercised in the larger world.
LITURGICAL CELEBRATION
As part of a liturgical celebration of a person’s special ministry beyond the congregation, you are invited to use and/or adapt the following litany.
A Litany Celebrating God’s Call
Leader: We who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
All: We come to praise God for the gifts of ministry that have been distributed among us.
Leader We all have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
All: We come to celebrate this day one (some) among us who has been called to a special ministry within the larger community.
Leader: Each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift . . .to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.
All We praise God for the gifts of grace that have been given to (……) We pray for his/her ministry as it finds its expression in (law, business, teaching, etc.)
Leader: God of Abraham and Isaac, of apostles and prophets: In every age, you have picked out people to work for you, showing justice, doing mercy, and demonstrating a humble walk with God in God’s beloved world.
All: We pray that in celebrating this servant’s ministry, we might all be encouraged to discern your call in all of our lives. Open us to your Holy Spirit; so that, in committing ourselves to our neighbors in love, we may be drawn to you and to each other.
